Overpayment Cheque Scam from Dubai
Take heed of your suspicion antennae. Don't be taken in by scams.
According to Hoax Slayer, such scams usually target “high-ticket” items like cars and electronic goods. In my case I was contacted by someone in Dubai, purrporting to be:
Mustapha Habib
AL Garound Marketing Services
Plot 12 Shekh Quassim Way
Jebelalli Industrial Estate,
P.O.Box 14053
Dubai UAE .
Email: moozety101@yahoo.com
who wanted to purchase 120 Dovado USB Mobile Broadband Routers from me. From the outset my suspicion antennae were twitching for all of the following reasons:
- he was using a Yahoo email address
- he showed no interest in technical details about the product
- from an early stage he was eager to get hold of my bank details including telephone number and address
- he did not engage in any haggling over the price, quite the opposite in fact giving the impression he was prepared to pay over the odds for a large quantity
- the manufacturer of the product is actually registered in Dubai – why deal with me instead of dealing with Dovado directly?
- he told me he would be able to organise the shipping, which made the deal all the easier to conclude
Indeed although I quoted him a unit price of €75 per router, he sent a purchase order citing a unit price of €130. Nonetheless I invoiced him for €9,000 (120 routers at €75 each). On 28 September 2009, a postbank cheque for €55,500 arrived at our bank in Ennis.
As they say: “if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is”, so I googled Overpayment Cheque Scam and discovered that the above sequence of events fitted perfectly with the usual overpayment scam scenario.
Furthermore my contact in Dovado shared a useful anti-scam resource with me: http://whocallsme.com – it’s a site where users can log details and telephone numbers from attempted scams and dodgy telephone marketing practices.
When I enter the phone number from the fraudulent purchase order (+971 553655906) into this website there are reports of almost identical scams originating from that number.
As soon as I sussed that the whole affair was a scam I ceased responding to emails from the fraudster and I have forwarded all the salient details to the Dubai police…without any response from them as yet, I might add. As is routine procedure with such large cheques, the forgery was inspected by the bank’s fraud department, confirmed as a dud cheque and returned unpaid. At this stage I will not find out what tall tale was in store for me at the end of the scam, but I don’t care. I just wanted to document the experience to alert others.
Update 18 Oct 2009
The Dubai Police did respond and have said that they’ll take the “necessary action”.
Update 3 Dec 2009
Many thanks for all the comments posted so far. Given the steady stream of reports of attempted fraud from the same source and the fact that the fraudster(s) have a physical presence in the countries they are targeting, I passed on the details of this particular fraud to the UK’s National Fraud Authority by telephone (0300 123 2040). Eventually some arm of the law might take an interest in apprehending some of the individuals involved. Maybe. There’s a slight chance.
You should reply back and say yes I have refunded the money and go along with it! So he’s the one that’s taken for an id*ot!
They make me so angry.
He had the cheek to say to us I need the funds sent back today and a copy of the transfer emailed to me! Dream on!
Hi – We have just had contact with this guy, we are based in the UK and his emails are below
—————————————
Hello Dave,
Thanks for the price quote,may i have the invoice for 4 units with the banking details for the payment.The shipping will be arrange by us.
Regards,
Terry.J
——————————-
When I asked for the invoice address he replied
——————————–
Hello Dave,
Here is the Invoice address:
EMIRATE MARKETING LLC
PLOT12 AL KARAMAL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
JEBELLALI,
DUBAI.
UAE.
Company registration number AE1983425
May i have the account name?
Looking forward to read from you soon.
Regards,
Terry.J
May i have the account name?
—————–
Thanks for all your comments, as he is waiting for a response any ideas on how to set this guy up, especially as he seems to be in the UK ?
He’s not in the UK. It’s the same company name he used when he tried to say £55,000 was transferred into our account. My Bank advised a barclays bank which was a uk chq was banked into our account in Dubai. But it obviously bounced after 3 days so that’s why he will be anxious for you to transfer funds b4 the chq bounces.
He rang the office and spoke very professionally.
Sometimes they are using ligit companies that do exist in Dubai from the directory but they actually have nothing to do with that company.
I would send him your account details, let him put the payment in, then he will say he has overpaid. then reply back saying you have refunded the funds but you need his mobile number and let him sweat it out!!
he sent the below email then another email with a personal name and diff account details on it. If you do find a dept of fraud or something we can complain to and action will be taken then do let me know. Scotland Uk
_____________
Dear Sir
Good day and how was the weekend?The payment in the amount of 55,500.00 pounds has been errorneously made into your account as against the invoice amount by our finance department with the reference EMIRATE.
Kindly acknowledge the payment as soon as possible to enable us proceed, and hope to have a successful deal in future.
Waiting to read from you soon.
Regards,
Nino.G
The main man may not be in the UK but the cheque that was paid into my account was paid in at my local branch in Notts. I did point out to the bank that they might just have taken a little more interest when someone paid in a (fraud) cheque from P&O Ferries for over £50k, used a counter slip and didn’t even wait to take the stub as a receipt…..
Oh gosh really. From Notts. Then you should def tell some fraud etc authority. they may check the cctv cameras? or helps et him up.
You could say that I need you to go back to the bank and pick up the cash instead, hehe but be careful these people can be dangerous so try not to do anything that will cause you any danger. But if money laundering or anyone was willing to help you do this then go for it. and get him caught!
They make me so angry! argh
See previous posts, I went down that route.
To be honest I haven’t got the time to involve the authorities who will treat me like I’ve done something wrong and waste even more of my time.
But I have and will continue to raise this very strongly with the bank. If they had been more vigilant they had the perfect opportunity to at the very least secure an image.